When it comes to smoking, general practitioners are leading by example. In recent years, many have quit smoking judging by the results of thePublic health agency France published as part of the Moi (s) Sans Tabac operation. The survey of 1414 general practitionersshows that 16% of them are smokers (2015 data). Only 14% of practitioners smoke daily while in 2003 this rate was 29%. This reduction by half in ten years contrasts with the tobacco figures for the general population (34.5% smokers and 28.7% daily smokers). “In the general population, the prevalence of smoking fluctuates greatly according to sex and age group, a finding that is not made among general practitioners,” notes the health agency.
Disparities in the health sector
What about other health professionals? In 2010, among all nurses, midwives and related professions, 30% reported smoking, 23% of which were daily. Rates therefore lower than the general population but higher than among doctors.
If the health sector is less affected by smoking, there are “very strong disparities” within this sector, concedes the health agency. “Our analyzes focus on a small number of professions and reveal that the prevalence of smoking varies from 16% to 43% depending on the profession”.
This sharp drop among physicians is nevertheless an encouraging sign, for tobacco control policies, for the Public Health France agency.
Smoking remains “a major cause of death” in France associated with 73,000 deaths in 2013 recalls Public Health France.
[Enquête] Smoking drops sharply among general practitioners #MG
➡️ 29% in 2003 versus 16% in 2015
To know more : https://t.co/6cjveCAZ1gpic.twitter.com/fUKaA56KFD– SantépubliqueFrance (@santeprevention) November 22, 2017
Also read:
Passive smoking: children still too exposed
End of the day for cigarettes in French cinema?
